Electric regulator



ELECTRIC REGULATOR Filed June 20. 1924 25 719' 72'' INVENTOR.

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Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES BBYS DAVIES, or FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR.

Application filed June 20, 1924. Serial No. 721,206.

The invention relates to electric regulators and particularly toimprovements in the ty e of regulator described in my previous ettersPatent, No. 1,374,285, where in a swinging contact is arranged to engagejects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure 1 is a plan view of the regulator connected to an electricsocket; Fig. 2 an elevational view of the same, the socket being incross section; Fig. 3 a plan View of the regulator; Fig. 4 a plan viewof the regulator with the movable contact member removed; Fig. 5 acentral vertical cross sec tion'of the regulator with the resistanceremoved; Fig. 6 an elevational view of a fraction of the resistancestrip; Fig. 7 a bottom view of the movable contact member and support;Fig. 8 a plan view of the support for the movable contact; Fig. 9 across section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 a plan view of the screwportion of the movable contact member; Fig. 11 an elevational "iew ofthe movable contact and Fig. 12 a perspective view of one of the fixedcontacts.

In the drawings I have illustrated the regulator applied to a lampsocket, but it will be noted that the device is adapted for use in avariety of electrical circuits and with many devices to which it is.desirable or advantageous to conduct a regulated supply of electriccurrent.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention 1 represents aninsulating base,

formed of porcelain or other insulating ma terial, in the cavity 2 ofwhich is a screw shell 3 of usual form. The bottom of the shell ispunched out to form two cars 4 that are bent downwardly and projectedthrough two openings 5 formed in the base 1. The terminals 6 of the earsare bent an: der the bottom of the base 1. A bolt 7 projects through anopening 8 forme in the base. the head of the bolt being insulated fromthe shell 3 by a suitable insulating washer or washers 9.

The bolt 7 is of suitable length to pass through the regulator 10, thenuts 11. at the lower end of the bolt serving to clamp the socket andthe base together, one of the circuit wires being connected to said endof the bolt.

The body 12 of the regulator is preferably in spool form of porcelain orother suit able insulating material, the spool being apertured toreceive the bolt 7. The resistance 13 is wound on the spool and isformed by winding a selected length of wire 14 about a ribbon ofasbestos cloth or mica 15 or other suitable material and then windingthis wire wound ribbon together with another ribbon 16 of the insulatingmaterial upon the body 12.

A radial depression or channel 17 is formed in the top flange 18 of thebody 12 and the bottom wall of this channel is apertured at selectedpoints to receive the contacts 19, and 21. The innermost contact 19extends entirely through the body 12 and its lower end is adapted to beconnected to the other circuit wire. The inner end of the wire 14 isconnected to or engages the contact 19. The contafts 20 project into theresistance coil and engage the winding at intervals and the contacts 21are exterior of the winding and do not engage any portion of the same.Hence the contacts 20 connect more and more of the resistance into theelectrical circuit of the socket when the travelling contact is movedoutwardly as is about to be described whereas the contacts 21 are blanksand no current flows when the travelling contact engages them.

A boss 22 projects upwardly from the center of the top flange of thebody 12 and a reduced portion 23 is formed at the top of the boss. Aresilient metallic member 24 is engaged on. the reduced portion 23 ofthe boss and projects laterally therefrom to form a guide support 25 forthe travelling contact 26. This guide support is an inverted channelformed by bending down the opposite sides of the projecting portion ofthe member 24, a portion of the material that is cut out of the memberto f orm the ring which engages on the boss, being bent downwardly and.scattered in fo m a a ing 2? for the reduced inner end of the screwshaft 28. The bearing 29 at the outer end of the support being formed bybending downwardly portion of the support which projects beyond theouter end of the side walls. This end portion is apertured or slotted toreceive the reduced end of the screw shaft. The support thus formedengages in the radial channel 17 in the body 12.

The screw shaft 28 is provided with threads of proper pitch and with asuitable finger grip 30 at its outer end by which it may be rotated. Thecontact '26 is an apertured block having a pin 31 projecting inwardlyinto its opening and adapted to engage the threads on the screw shaft.The bearings prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft hence when theshaft. is rotated the contact 26 travels along the shaft, rotation ofthe contact being prevented by the walls of the channel support. Thecontact engages the fixed contacts in the channel 17.

In assembling the parts suitable washers 33 may be inserted between thesupport 95 and the terminals 6 and the resilience of the support 25ensures engagement of the travelling contact with the fixed contacts. Asshown in Fig. 11 the fixed contacts 20 and 21 are T-shaped, the heads ofwhich form effective surfaces for engagement by the travelling contact26.

lVhen the regulator is assembled on a socket as above described and alamp or other device or plug of a cord circuit is engaged in the socket,the lamp or plug closes the circuit between the shell 3 and the boltterminal 7 and the full current entering the regulator will flow to thelamp or cord circuit only when the contact 26 engages the centralcontact 19. As the shaft is rotated in proper direction the contact ismoved outwardly over the intermediate contacts 20 and cutting in moreand more of the. resistance and thereby reduce the brilliance of thelamp or the amount of current flowing through theeord circuit or otherdevice. To cut off the flow of all current the contact 2G is movedoutwardly to the limit of its travel, where it engages the contacts orcontact 26 by which the circuit is broken.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In an electric regulator, the combination with aninsulating body, of a resistance coil wound on the body, a row of fixedcontacts on one outer face of the body and pro jecting through said facedirectly into the resistance at selected points thereof and connectedthereto, a mo able contact adapted to be moved into engagement with thefixed contacts successively and rotatable means engaging the movablecontact and adapted to cause it to travel back and forth across thefixed contacts. 4 v

2. In an electric regulator the combination with an insulating body, ofa resistance coil wound on the body, a radial channel formed in one faceof the body. a series of fixed contacts projecting into the resist ancecoil at selected points and having their outer ends exposed in saidchannel. a revolnble shaft. resiliently mounted in the channel and acontact on the shaft adapted to engage each of the contacts, the shaftwhen rotated being adapted to cause the contact thereon to travel backand forth.

3. In an electric regulator the combination with an insulatin body, of aresistance coil wound on the body, one face of the body having a channeltherein extending from the outer edge towards the center thereof, aresilient member mounted in the channel. a screw shaft: revolublymounted in said member, a contact on the screw shaft adapted to he movedback and forth in the channel by the rotation of the shaft, and a seriesof contacts exposed in the channel and projected into the resistancecoil at selected points and adapted to be engaged successively by themovable contact.

4. In an electric regulator, the co1nbination of a socxet, an insulatingflanged spool, means connecting the socket and the spool and forming oneterminal of the socket, a resistance wire wound on the spool between theflanges, a plurality of fixed contacts extending through one of theflanges into the resistance winding at selected points and makingcontact with said wire, a travelling contact on the. outer side of. thespool and adapted to engage the heads of the fixed contactssuccessively. rev olublc means to cause the contact to more to aselected contact and means to support and electrically connect thetravellin contact to the other terminal of the SOCiiGl.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of June,iii-2i.

RHYS DltYlEii

